How do you manage logistics project data and documentation effectively?

Data can give you almost any answer you want. In order to efficiently determine what data you need and how best to use it, you need to fully understand the goal of your project. If you begin your project with an open mind about outcomes and determine your data needs objectively, you're analysis will have the opportunity to guide you to a root cause solution and not just give you the answer you were looking for.

Effectively managing logistics project data and documentation involves several key practices. One effective approach is to define your requirements clearly, organize your data and documentation meticulously, and ensure they are consistently validated and updated. Securing your data is also crucial. For example, in my role as a Senior Document Controller, applying these practices could involve setting up a structured document management system that allows for easy access, version control, and secure sharing of project-related documents and data

If you project is on-going and not an ad hoc analysis, having easy access to your data is critical. There is so much going on in logistics, big projects can get sidelined if they are too cumbersome to maintain. Not only should you have SOP for how to retrieve, handle, and review your data. You should ensure that this process is as simple as possible. Otherwise, you won't be able to keep up when the next supply chain disruption hits.

Ensuring your data provides the information you think it does is a crucial step in any project. For example - on time data can be completely inaccurate if appointments are not accounted for. If you are using your data to make big decisions about processes or potential partners, you need to ensure the data tells the story you think it does. You need to make sure its clean, its robust, and of course its complete. It's okay if there are issues, as long as you know about them and then account for them. Otherwise, you can make well intentioned but costly mistakes.

Setting up an easy process to maintain and report on your project is going to be key to it's longevity and success. The other point of consideration is how long does the project need to be reported on and how frequently. The easier the process is, the less of a concern this is. But not every project needs to become a department KPI. Did we create this project because one of our primary KPIs was failing? Now that it's within range, can we close this project, but include in our primary KPI an SOP to deep dive if it moves out of compliance?

Consider these two practices (in general, Supply Chain Management): 1. Create a data and documentation management plan that outlines the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and timelines for managing your data and documentation. Establish the standards, formats, templates, and tools that you will use to create, store, and share your data and documentation. 2. Use a supply chain document management solution that automatically captures your documentation whether scanned, faxed, emailed, or otherwise, and lets you instantly validate the accuracy of your supply chain documents with the vendor or customer information that’s stored in your ERP or SCM.